Bosch Serie 8 In’genius ProSilence BGL8SIL5

If someone were to ask me what a canister vacuum cleaner looks like, I would immediately point out this Bosch Series 8 In'genius ProSilence BGL8SIL5. This bagged vacuum cleaner is marked with ‘Silence' in the product name. Thus, it is suggested that it is very quiet. But is that really the case?

I have extensively tested this Bosch vacuum cleaner with bag. Check out my findings in this Bosch Series 8 In'genius ProSilence BGL8SIL5 review.

Accessories: unboxing the Bosch BGL8SIL5

Like any vacuum cleaner review, I start my research with an extensive unboxing. With this Bosch I immediately notice that there are a number of extra suction brushes. What strikes me right away is that the multi-surface brush is very large compared to the other brushes. The vacuum cleaner hose also seems different from others: it is made of textile and has an ergonomic handle.

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1. Bosch Series 8 In'genius ProSilence BGL8SIL5: a canister vacuum cleaner, including a dust bag
2. Combi brush: this brush is suitable for hard and soft floor types.
3. Crevice tool: a crevice tool for hard-to-reach places
4. Mini turbo brush: good to use when removing pet hair
5. Accessory clip: you can attach this to the vacuum cleaner rod, after which you can click a suction nozzle in it.
6. Vacuum cleaner hose: a striking vacuum cleaner hose, provided with a layer of textile. With ergonomic handle.
7. Parquet brush: a suction brush with soft bristles for protecting fragile wooden floors.
8. Vacuum cleaner rod: a length-adjustable vacuum cleaner rod (telescopic)

Suction performance: how well does the Bosch BGL8SIL5 perform?

The supplied suction brushes show that the vacuum cleaner is suitable for different floor types. For example, a parquet brush can prevent scratches on a vulnerable wooden floor. However, this says nothing at all about the suction power. We tested the Bosch vacuum cleaner on different floor types: from hard wooden floors to soft low-pile carpets.

Suction performance on hardwood floors, carpets and pet hair

The Bosch BGL8SIL5 comes with a multi-surface brush and a parquet brush. Both brushes have openings between the bristles, so that the dirt should be easily sucked up. This indeed turns out to be the case: with both small and large dirt I experience no problems with both floor brushes.

On soft floors (high pile rugs and low pile carpet), this Bosch vacuum cleaner appears to have a bit more trouble. Both small and large dirt is pushed forward by the combi brush. Because of this I am forced to lift the suction brush every time, to be able to suck up the dirt. In terms of dirt absorption, however, there is no problem.

The vacuum cleaner comes with a pet hair brush. At least: it is a vertical dusting brush, where you can click off the part with the soft bristles. This makes it a kind of little ‘extra'. Not the best option for removing pet hair.

• Hardwood floors: 7,5/10
• Carpet: 7/10
• Pet hair: 6/10

Suction and Airflow

To be able to compare vacuum cleaners on suction power, I use a unique research methodology. I measure both the suction power (in kPa) and the airflow (in m/s). The Bosch BGL8SIL5 has a suction power of 17 kPa. This is pretty close to my measurement in the Philips Performer Silent FC8784/09 review, where I measured 16.5 kPA.

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The AirFlow of this vacuum cleaner is 43.8 meters per second. Compared to other canister vacuum cleaners, this is an excellent average. Again: I only use this data to compare vacuum cleaners with each other on suction power.

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User-friendliness: can I vacuum easily?

The user-friendliness of a vacuum cleaner is a broad concept. In my view, the following properties determine the user-friendliness of a vacuum cleaner: the manoeuvrability, the operation, how ergonomically a vacuum cleaner is designed and the weight. The noise level and the cord length (with wired vacuum cleaners) also play a major role in this. Let's take a look at the user-friendliness of this vacuum cleaner.

Maneuverability and Control

I find the vacuum cleaner to be very large. In addition, the vacuum cleaner is equipped with four small castor wheels at the bottom. I myself am not a fan of this type of wheels, because they often get stuck and can scratch wooden floors. For example, if we look at the Philips FC8784/09, then there are large rubber wheels. That just drives a little better.

In terms of operation, the Bosch BGL8SIl5 scores many points. It is equipped with a nice handle, with which you can easily hold the vacuum cleaner rod. Rewinding the cord is child's play: after clicking once, the cord is automatically drawn in. Without having to hold down the button.

Weight, noise and cord length

Although these features are always mentioned by webshops, I personally test them again. It turns out that the weight is often without accessories and that the noise level is mentioned at the least power. I'm just trying to imitate the ‘normal usage situation'. For example, I measure the weight with the rod and suction brush and I do a noise measurement at full power. So honest!

As the name of this Bosch vacuum cleaner (ProSilence) suggests, it is a fairly quiet vacuum cleaner. I measure a noise level of 66.7 decibels. Although I normally only speak of a quiet vacuum cleaner below 60 decibels, I must say that this is certainly not a noisy vacuum cleaner.

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Bosch reports that the vacuum cleaner weighs 5.5 kilograms, which is indeed the case without accessories. If we look at the total weight (so with vacuum cleaner rod and suction brush) I arrive at about 6.1 kilograms. This makes it a heavy vacuum cleaner and may be less suitable for people who want to use a vacuum cleaner for different floors.

The cord length is very long: with 12 meters you have an enormous working range. If I measure the vacuum cleaner's action radius (the total length from the plug to the suction brush), I arrive at a working range of 15 meters. That is huge compared to other vacuum cleaners!

Maintenance

This is a canister vacuum cleaner with a bag: you will therefore have to provide it with a new dust bag every now and then. If you are not interested in this, you can consider a bagless vacuum cleaner. Back to the dust bag: this Bosch Series 8 In'genius ProSilence contains a dust bag with a dust capacity of 5 liters. This is above average: emptying will be required less often than with other vacuum cleaners with a bag.

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In addition, I discover a HEPA 13 filter at the back of the vacuum cleaner. This filter has 99.95% filtering. It is very important to maintain a filter properly: you have to replace or clean a HEPA filter on time. If you do not do this, the dust emission will increase.

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Conclusion Bosch Series 8 In'genius ProSilence BGL8SIL5 review

The Bosch Series 8 In'genius ProSilence BGL8SIL5 is a powerful bagged vacuum cleaner. There is a good suction performance on hard floor types: this vacuum cleaner scores much less well on soft floors. The vacuum cleaner comes with a large number of extra suction brushes, making it a versatile vacuum cleaner. The dust bag has a remarkably large dust capacity: with a capacity of 5 liters, you don't have to empty it as often. It also has an extremely long cord of 12 meters, which results in a super large working range.

The vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, is very heavy: at 6.1 kilograms, it is heavier than other models. It is also not a compact choice and sometimes feels a bit clumsy. I personally would have preferred large rubber wheels instead of the four small castor wheels on the underside of the vacuum cleaner.